Learn whole story of honey bee industry

Learn whole story of honey bee industry

Feb. 17’s Daily Herald article — “Bee shortage stings” — does not tell the entire sad story about what is happening in the honey bee industry.

Without the honey bee pollination service, an acre of almond trees would only produce about 200 pounds of nuts, but with the honey bee pollinating, the crop production could be 2,000 pounds.

Yes, without as many nuts, there could be fewer chocolate almond bars, but we could have pecan chocolate bars and bees are not needed to pollinate pecans.

The same bee colonies (honey bees work themselves to death in about six weeks) that are now or soon will be in the almond orchards, spend the summer pollinating apples, pears, blueberries, cotton, strawberries, pumpkins, cucumbers, and many other crops.

Without the honey bee available to pollinate these other crops, our food supply will be reduced as well as being more expensive.

As a retired civil engineer with 40 years beekeeping experience, I invite

all readers to visit Wanda’s Honey House at the DuPage County Forest Preserve Kline Creek Farm and learn more about the honey bee and the political clout that has permitted the EPA to approve more toxic chemicals that are killing honey bees.

Lawrence DuBose

Carol Stream